Displaying an input at multiple octaves

• US 7,982,114 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: Applewhite, Douglas Robert, Stoddard, Joshua Forrest
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORN, ROBERT WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/474,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20100300270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 844/77.R, 463/7
• US Class Current: 84/477.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/091 for performance evaluation, i.e. judging, grading or scoring the musical qualities or faithfulness of a performance, e.g. with respect to pitch, tempo or other timings of a reference performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/005 Non-interactive screen display of musical or status data graphical user interfaces specifically adapted for electrophonic musical instruments G10H2220/091; fingering displays G10H2220/041
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/145 Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/151 Musical difficulty level setting or selection

Abstract

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for displaying an input at multiple octaves in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by receiving by a game platform via a microphone, a music performance input data and displaying, on a display in communication with the game platform, a first pitch marker reflective of the music performance input data. Then substantially simultaneously with the display of the first pitch marker, displaying a second pitch marker at an offset, typically vertical, from the first pitch marker, the offset indicative of an octave difference between the first pitch marker and the second pitch marker.

Claims

1. A method executed on a game platform in signal communication with a display and a microphone, the method comprising:

receiving, via the microphone, a music performance input data;

determining a pitch based on the music performance input data;

displaying, on the display, a first pitch marker whose position is reflective of the pitch but is irrespective of the pitch'"'"'s octave; and

displaying, on the display, substantially simultaneously with the display of the first pitch marker, a second pitch marker positioned at an offset from the first pitch marker, the offset indicative of an octave difference between the first pitch marker and the second pitch marker.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the offset is a vertical offset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second pitch marker is indicative of an octave above the first pitch marker.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second pitch marker is indicative of an octave below the first pitch marker.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, on the display, a vocal cue comprising a pitch component.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a first score is calculated for the first pitch marker based on a comparison between the first pitch marker and the pitch component of the vocal cue and a second score is calculated for the second pitch marker based on a comparison between the second pitch marker and the pitch component of the vocal cue.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, on the display, a target music data at a particular position; and

displaying the second pitch marker only if the position of the second pitch marker has a degree of matching with the position of the target music data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the degree of matching is based on a tolerance threshold.

9. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive, via a microphone in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a music performance input data;

determine a pitch based on the music performance input data;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a first pitch marker whose position is reflective of the pitch but is irrespective of the pitch'"'"'s octave; and

display, on the display, substantially simultaneously with the display of the first pitch marker, a second pitch marker positioned at an offset from the first pitch marker, the offset indicative of an octave difference between the first pitch marker and the second pitch marker.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the offset is a vertical offset.

11. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

receive, via a microphone in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a music performance input data;

determine a pitch based on the music performance input data;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a first pitch marker whose position is reflective of the pitch but is irrespective of the pitch'"'"'s octave; and

display, on the display, substantially simultaneously with the display of the first pitch marker, a second pitch marker positioned at an offset from the first pitch marker, the offset indicative of an octave difference between the first pitch marker and the second pitch marker.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the offset is a vertical offset.

13. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, via a microphone in signal communication with the apparatus, a music performance input;

means for determining a pitch based on the music performance input data;

means for displaying, on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, a first pitch marker whose position is reflective of the pitch but not the particular octave; and

means for displaying, on the display, substantially simultaneously with the display of the first pitch marker, a second pitch marker positioned at a offset from the first pitch marker, the offset indicative of an octave difference between the first pitch marker and the second pitch marker.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the offset is a vertical offset.